Portable loader



Dec. 6, 1949 K. J. YOST PORTABLE LOADER Filed Dec. 8, 1945 4 Sheets-.Sheetv l KENNETH LI. YUET.

Gttorneg Dec. 6, 1949 K. J. YosT 2,490,292

PORTABLE LOADER l Filed Dec. 8, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 'lnventor KENNx-LTH YU Si -Filed Dec. 8, 1945 K. J. YOST PORTABLE LOADER 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 alf KENNETH d. Ymfr. Bg a 6&1

(Ittorneg Dec. 6, 1949 Filed Dec. 8, 1945 PORTABLE LOADER K. J. YOST 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ffm (Ittorneg Patented Dec. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE PORTABLE LOADER Kenneth J. Yost, Westport, Conn.

Application December 8, 1945, Serial No. 633,641

7 Claims.

conveniently portable from place to place, and. which when set in operation against a rpile of material to be loaded will automatically maintain 'itself in operative relation with the pile as the lpile recedes, being self-propelled forwardly until the pile is picked up and loaded. It is particu- `larly proposed to provide a loader having screw conveyor means for engaging and feeding the material to an elevating conveyor means, and wherein the screw conveyor means constitutes a rolling and propelling support for the loader, causing it to be moved forwardly into relation with the material to be loaded in correspondence with the recession of the face of the pile as the material is removed therefrom.

To this end, it is particularly proposed to provide a screw conveyor having circumferential segmental tread means preferably arranged at each end thereof, and which provide a circumferentially rotating thread support for the screw conveyor, so that the ground or other surface upon which the loader is operating is protected from the cutting effect of the edges of the screw conveyor. At the saine time, the segmental form of the tread means, while providing support through 360, is such that there is no interference with the entrance of the material to be loaded to the conveyor, so that substantially the full length of the conveyor is effective to engage the pile of materialto be loaded. l

A further object is to provide a loader which is self-centering with respect to the pile of material to be loaded, so that its forward movement will be in a substantially straight line.

A further object is to provide la loader having adjustable wheel supports which may be moved into engagement ywith the ground to cause the screw conveyor to be lifted therefrom for the purpose of convenient .portage of the loader from place to place. It is further proposed to provide a wheel support at each side which may be individually operated to engage one or the other with the ground to thereby lift one r the other ends of the screw conveyor means to cause the latter to propel the loader in a turning path.

A further object is to provide a loader having agitator means arranged to engage the piled material to cause it to be worked down into relation with the screw conveyor.

A further object is to provide a loader having a demountable wheeled frame, enabling the conveyor to be employed when desired in a relatively restricted space where it may move vertically downwardly through a pile of material to be loaded.

Another object is to provide a loader having guide means for cooperation with guiding track means to maintain the travel of the loader in a predetermined horizontal path.

Another object is to provide a loader having tiltable ground gripping means, adapted to grippingly engage the ground upon such occasions when the-screw conveyor of the loader may ride upwardly upon the pile of material to be loaded, such ground gripping means adapted to restrain the forward movement of the loader so that upon riding up on the pile of material the screw conveyor is caused to move downwardly through the material until it assumes its normal position in engagement with the ground, whereupon the ground gripping means is lifted out of engagement with the ground permitting the loader to resume its forward movement.

With the above and other objects in view, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, and this embodiment will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a loader, according to one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, partially broken Fig. 3 isfa longitudinal vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a loader, according to a modified form of the invention, the dotand-dash lines indicating the. assembled position of the demountable agitator means.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, on a reduced scale, showing the detached conveyor` means in operative relation for vertical downward movement through a, pile of material to be loaded.

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view, partially broken away and on a reduced scale, taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, and in particular to Figs. 1 to 4 thereof, the embodiment of the invention shown therein comprises a main frame of generally rectangular form consisting of 1ongitudinal channel iron side members Il and II,

a channel iron cross member I2 extending transversely between the side members at a point rearwardly spaced from their forward ends, a pair of transversely spaced parallel longitudinal intermediate channel iron members I3 and I4, ex

tending rearwardly from the cross member I2 to a point substantially rearwardly of the side members I6 and II, and channel iron cross members I and I6 extending between the rearward ends of the side members I and II and the inutermediate members I3 and I4.

The frame is secured at its several corners by means of triangular corner plates I1 riveted thereto. The

-rearward ends of the intermediate members I3 -and I4 are connected together by a cross plate .30

I8 secured to their under sides and extending transversely between them.

A pairof axially aligned shafts VIii-I9 extend :transversely-between the side frame members I8 and II .and the itermediate frame members I3.

' which are engaged by the trunnion pins 28 of 4a nut 29, engaged by a horizontal screw shaft 38 having rotatable end thrust bearing support in bearings 3| and 32 mounted respectively upon the cross members I2 and I5 of the frame. shaft'30 there is secured a hand wheel 33, whereby the screw may be manually rotated to move the nut 2 forwardly or rearwardly thereon, vand to thereby cause the lever 23 to be .swung to raise or lower the wheel 24.

In the normal operating relation of the loader the two wheels 24 are raised above the ground, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the loader being supported upon the screw conveyor at its forward end, as willhereinafter more fully appear. By

lowering both wheels to raise the forward end of the loader, a wheel support is provided for convenient mobility of the loader. VBy lowering one wheel, `a pivot supportV is providediat'one UDCH the rearward end 0f the ASGIBW side, about which the loader will move about an:

turning path as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The rearward vend of the'frame'is supported by a caster wheel unit 34 pivotally mounted upon the cross plate I8 to have turning movement along the longitudinal center line of the loader.

An eye member 35 is secured to the caster unit for the purpose of attaching a draw chain or the like, so that the loader may be conveniently transported, the wheels 24 being lowered for this purpose.

To the lower sides of the forwardly projecting ends of the side members I0 and I I of the frame there are secured downwardly extending bearing brackets 36 in which are rotatably engaged the outer shaft ends 31 of a pair of axially aligned screw conveyors 38 and 39, disposed transversely at each side of the longitudinal center line of the loader, these screw conveyors being preferably of two flight form and arranged so that upon turning movement in counter-clockwise or forwardly rolling direction, as seen in Fig. 1, they feed inwardly toward the center where the material being conveyed is adapted to converge and move rearwardly into a centrally disposed elevating conveyor, hereinafter to be more fully described. The shaft ends 31 project outwardly beyond the bearings 36 and are each provided with a short conveyor element 40 adapted to cut -a swath through the material being loaded at each side of the frame so that there will be no *interference with the forward movement of the -frame, these conveyors 40 being designed to feed the material inwardly toward the main screw *conveyors 38 and 39.

Between the bearings 36 and the outer ends 'of .the screw conveyors 38 and-39 there are proxzided relatively short spaces in which drive means Vfor the screw conveyor are located. These drive :means consist of worm'gears 4I securedupon the 7outer hub ends of the respective screw conveyors, zand each engaged by a Worm 42 provided-on the :forward end of a diagonally -disposed shaft 43 .Ajournaled in a bearing 44 mounted upon the 4inner side of the end member of the frame. .The shaft l43 is `provided upon vits yupper end with aworm gear 45, which meshes wtha worm 4.6 provided upon a horizontal counter-drive `shaft 41, extending transversely across the upper Yiside of .the main frame, and journaled at its ends in bearings 48 and 49 mounted upon Ythe `side frame members Il) and vI I. .Upon a motor stand 50 supported upon theintermediate frame members I3 .and I4 there .is mounted a motor 5I, which drives the counter-shaft 45 through a r -belt 52, connected between the motor pulley 53 and a pulley 54 provided upon Ythe counter-shaft 45. While an electric motor is illustrated which Amay be connected to an available `source of power, it will be .understood that any other suitable source may employed, as .for instance, an internal combustion engine.

Upon the outer end portions of the screw .conveyors .38 and 39 there Yare provided circumferentially arranged segmental thread members 55, 56 and 51, which are circumferentially and axially offset from each other, each thread member being preferably somewhat greater in extent than so that its ends overlap the 'ends of the other thread members. Consequently, in any position of rotation of the conveyor Aa portion of at least one vof the thread members is engaged with the ground, and at the 'same time 'the segmental offset'form of the thread members provides clear access of the material to be loaded tothe conveyor. Thus the Vconveyor provides `a forwardly propelled rolling support for the load- 'er through the incorporation therein of the thread members.

To the forward side of the transverse frame member I2 there is secured a vertically disposed back up plate 58 for the screw conveyors, having its lower edge slightly raised from the ground. At the center of this plate there is provided an opening 59 through which the material to be 'loaded is adaptedto'move rearwardly bythe two A coupling tube member 60 is secured to the back-up plate 58 in registering relation with the opening 59, being provided at its forward end with a flange 6I which surrounds the edge of the opening and conforms to the rearward surface of the back-up plate, and is secured thereto by riveting or the like. At its other end the coupling tube member is provided with a circular obliquely arranged ilange 62 in which the forward end of the upwardly and rearwardly inclined elevator conveyor tube is engaged.

The elevator conveyor tube comprises an upper half section 63` having outwardly extending anges G4 along its longitudinal edges, and a lower half section 65, also having outwardly extending flanges 66 along its longitudinal edges, the flanges of the half sections adapted to be engaged with each other to form a complete tube,

and to be removably secured to each other by bolts 6l. The lower tube section is subject to considerable abrasive wear, and its removability from the upper section permits it to be conveniently and economically replaced when required.

The conveyor tube is supportedbetween the intermediate members I3 and I@ of the frame by means of vertically disposed channel iron supports 68--68 secured to the intermediate frame members I3 and I4 adjacent their rearward ends, and upon the upper ends of which there are secured inclined channel iron supports 69-69, braced by means of angle iron struts 'lil-lo. The

flanges 66 of the conveyor tube seat upon the supports E9 and are secured thereto by bolts 'II.

The tube is also supported by means of brackets l2-12 secured at the under sides of the frame members I3 and I@ and projecting beneath the flanges 66.

Within the conveyor tube there is provided a screw conveyor 13, its lower shaft end I4 having thrust bearing in a bearing bracket l5 secured upon the forward side of the back-up plate and extended into the coupling tube 60, and its rearward shaft end 'I6 having bearing in a bearing bracket l'I, supported upon a transverse angle iron bar 'I8 secured at its ends upon inwardly projecting angle iron supports Q-, secured to the rearward ends of the angle iron supports 69.

An angle iron cross bar Sil is connected between the upper ends of the supports 'ISL and supports a shaft bearing member BI for the drive shaft 82 of the elevator screw, this shaft being also supported in a bearing member 83 mounted upon an angle iron cross bar 84 extending between the upper ends of upright angle iron supports 85-85 secured to the outer sides of the intermediate frame members I3 and I4. The shaft end I6 of the elevator screw is provided with a sprocket gear 86, connected by a sprocket chain 8l to a sprocket gear 88 provided upon the rearward end of the drive shaft 82. Upon the forward end of thedrive shaft 82 there is provided a worm gear 89 engaged by a worm Si? provided upon the counter-shaft 4l. Thus the countershaft simultaneously drives both the conveyor screw and the elevator screw through the drive shafts 43-43 of the conveyorscrew and the drive shaft 82 of the elevator screw.

At the forward side of the cross member I2 of the main frame there is detachably secured, by means of bolts 9Ia engaged with the side frame members II) and l I, a vertically disposed rectangular frame BI, preferably braced in vertical position by'means of inclined angle iron braces 92-92 connected between the upper vertical corners of the frame and the rearward corners of the main frame. A facing plate 93, preferably formed of vertically corrugated sheet metal is secured to the frame 9i to provide a back-up surface for the pile of material to be loaded.

Upon the forward side of the frame 9|, there is provided a series of vertically disposed agitatorv units, each comprising a vertical shaft 94 having bearing at its upper and lower ends in brackets S- 95 secured to the channel iron cross members of the fram'e 9|, and having secured thereon in spaced relation a series of forwardly projecting agitator tooth members 96. A helical spring 97 is disposed between the upper tooth member and the upper bracket S5 for the purpose of driving the agitator downwardly, the lower tooth member adapted to engage the lower bracket S5 as a stop to limit the downward movement. Raising movement is imparted by means of an inverted cone-shaped roller B, mounted upon the lower end of the shaft, and adapted to be engaged by the helical thread of the conveyor screw, so that upon rotation of the conveyor screw the agitator is raised at the point wheie the helix engages the roller, the spring 97 forcing the agitator downwardly as the helix moves out of engagement with the roller. The transversespacing of the agitator shafts is preferably such that certain of them are raised as others are lowered. The agitators are adapted for use in certain types of highly piled material as for instance, a stack of hay. The removabilty of the entire agitator assembly permits the loader to be conveniently used with other materials, without the added Weight and space taken up by the agitator assembly.

At the rearward end of the elevator conveyor there is preferably connected a downwardly inclined gravity feed chute 99, its upper end being hingedly connected at i to a plate II, connected by a swivel joint E92 to a bracket ID3, mounted upon an angle iron cross bar IM, supported at its ends upon the lower ends of vertically disposed hanger bars ISE-m5, secured to the supports 69 at each side. An adjustable turn-buckle strut member IBS is connected by universal joints |87 and E08 to the cross plate I8 of the main frame and to the chute 99, for the purpose of angularly adjusting the chute and also permitting the chute to be turned to any desired angular position about the swivel connection IGZ, as shown, for instance, by the dotand-dash lines in Fig. 2.

In Figs. 5 to 8 there is illustrated a modified form of the invention, vin which the screw conveyor 39a operates in one direction to feed the material toward one end into relation with an elevating screw conveyor 'I3a connected to the vshaft of the screw conveyor 39a by a universal drive joint I I0, the elevating screw being mounted in a tube III adjustably connected to the frame by a turn-buckle strut II2, which enables the angle of the elevating conveyor to be adjusted as desired. The tube is provided with suitable bearings I I3 and I I4 for the elevating screw. For the purpose of guiding the material being conveyed to the elevating conveyor, the back-up plate 588L is provided with an extension I I 5 at one end which extends into relation with the inner end of the tube II, the pushing action of the conveyor screw being suicient to move the ma- :ananas-e -terial along the back-,up plate extension H into .relation with the elevating screw 13a.

The frame of the loader, according to this modification, consists of a forward part H6 carrying the conveyor screw and the drive means therefor, and a rearward Vpart lll carrying the adjustable wheels 24 and their adjustment mechanism and the caster wheel 34, this rearward frame part being detachably connected to the forward frame part by U-shaped clamps I I8. In

this form of the invention the counter-drive shaft 41 is mounted beneath the Vmain frame IIS and is below the rearward frame part Il'l in the assembled relation of the latter, as shown in Fig.

`5, and the drive shafts 43-43 for the screw conveyor are horizontally disposed.

The agitator unit, similar to that of the rst embodiment of the invention, is detachably connected tothe forward frame part H6, the dotand-dash lines in Fig. 5 showing its attached relation.

Upon occasion, it may be desired to employ the loader in a restricted space, as for instance, where `the material to be loaded is stacked against va wall of a barn. In this case, the agitator unit may be removed, as well as the rearward frame For the purpose of horizontally guiding the` Vloader along fixed guides, guide rollers H9 are `.secured to the frame part by means of brackets 120 at four corner ipoints, these rollers being horizontally disposed so that they may engage the vertically disposed sides of angle iron guide tracks as well as the horizontally disposed sides.

The loader is thus maintained in a straight forward path and is also prevented from raising upwardly. I

In certain types of material the screw conveyor may tend to ride up on the pile,and for -the purpose of restricting the forward movement of the loader when this occurs there are provided `rearwardly extending beam members l2l secured to the rearward frame part l l1 by bolts |22, and which are provided at their rearward ends with downwardly and forwardly projecting ground gripping teeth |23 which are normally raised from the ground in the horizontal position of the loader. As the screw conveyor rides up on the pile of material the loader is tilted about the wheel 34, causing the teeth l23 to be moved downwardly into gripping engagement with the ground, thus restraining the forward movement of the loader, so that the screw conveyor feeds downwardly through the material until it reaches '.the ground again. At thlspointthe ground gripping teeth are lifted out of engagement lwith the ground and the loader resumes its .normal forward movement.

I have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory embodiments of the invention. but it Awill be understood that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, `as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

`1. In a loader, a frame, .a rotary screw conveyor rotatably mounted at the forward endof said frame for :engagement with .material to 4be loaded, ground engaging tread means overlying a portion of said :conveyor and constituting a circumferential rolling support for said frame, and drive `means .for imparting `rotation to said rotary screw conveyor.

.2. In a loader, a frame, a rotary screw conveyor rotatably :mounted at the forward end of said frame for engagement with material to be loaded, segmental vaxially offset, ground engaging tread meanssecuredto said conveyor and constituting a circumferential rolling support for said frame, and drive meansfor `imparting rotation to said rotary screw conveyor.

3. In a loader, a frame, a rotary screw convveyor rotatably mounted at the forward end of said frame for engagement with material to be loaded, segmental axially offset ground engaging tread means secured to said conveyor and constituting a circumferential rolling support for vsaid frame, each of said segmental tread means being in the form of an arcuate shoe, andconstituting with the other arcuate shoes a circumferential tread extending around the conveyor, and drive means for imparting rotation to said rotary screw conveyor.

4. In a loader, a frame, a rotary screw conveyor rotatably mounted at the forward end of said frame for engagement with material to be loaded, a plurality of axially spaced sets of segmental axially offset vground engaging tread means secured to said conveyor and constituting circumferential rolling supports for said frame, and drive means for imparting rotation to said rotary screw conveyor.

.5. In a loader, a frame, a rotary screw conveyor rotatably mounted at the forward end of said frame for engagement with material to be loaded and constituting a rolling support for said frame, drive means for imparting rotation to said rotary screw conveyor, a plurality of agitating units carried by said frame, each of said units comprising a reciprocating shaft, agitator means carried by said shaft, means adapted to engage the helical tread of said screw conveyor Vto impart lifting movement to said shaft in one direction, and a spring adapted to impart movement in the other direction.

6. In a loader, a frame, a rotary screw conveyor rotatably mounted at the forward end of said frame for engagement with material to be loaded and constituting a rolling support for said frame, drive means for imparting rotation to said rotary screw conveyor, a plurality of agitating units carried by said frame, each of said units comprising a reciprocating shaft, agitator means carried by said shaft, a cone-shaped roller adapted to engage the helical tread of said screw conveyor to impart lifting movement to said shaft inone direction, and a spring Vvadapted to impart movement in the other direction.

7, In a loader, a frame, a rotary screw conveyor rotatably mounted at the forward end of said frame for engagement with material to be "loaded and constituting a rolling support for 4rearwardly of said screw conveyor; and rearwardly extending ground gripping beam members carried by said frame adapted to engage vthe ground upon raising movement of said conveyor and upwardtilting of the forward end of said frame about said intermediate ground engaging means as a fulcrum, whereby forward movement of said loader in said tilted position is restrained by engagement of said beam members with the ground.

KENNETH J. YOST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Stanley June 14, 1892 Number Number 10 Number 

